Lift Up & Be the Lotus!

The Lotus flower blossoms in the sunlight on long stalks reaching up in resilient ways. Transformational healing for women occurs best in a distinctly women-centered experience of conscious relaxation.

Make a donation to help provide an opportunity for a woman who, for financial reasons, would otherwise not be able to attend the 2018 Women's Yoga Retreat.

Welcome to Spirit Rising Yoga's 6th Annual Midwest Women's Yoga Retreat! Our Team Shakti has envisioned a nature immersion for women, embraced by sacred spaces, yoga by the fireplace(!), havens for diving deep into yoga, into oneself. The stresses of everyday life are inevitable, as we juggle roles and demands as mothers, wives, sisters, grandmothers, daughters, partners.

How did we choose this year's theme? (Lift Up and Be the Lotus)During the transcendent morning sadhana on the final morning of the 2017 Retreat, following sivasana after the yoga portion, I opened my eyes and looked straight up to the lofted ceiling of the Great Room. What did I behold, but the iron brackets that braced the beams gave me the idea for the 2018 theme! One appeared to be an arrow pointing upward, the other was shaped like a lotus. In these stressful and pressured times, it's especially vital for a woman to stay aligned with her spirit, to connect with women in conscious community, to take a 'time-in' periodically to re-set herself energetically. This will help her to be resilient and strengthen herself emotionally, physically and spiritually to face the times. Embrace this opportunity now. We welcome you! ~ Shabad Kaur Khalsa, Retreat Director

Near the completion of Aquarian Sadhana on the final day of the 2017 Retreat.

On the ceiling of the Great Room at St. Iakovos. Note the bracket pointing upwards to the bracket that appears to be a lotus!

We are hosting the 6th Annual Midwest Women's Yoga Retreat at the lovely St. Iakovos Retreat Center in Kansasville, Wisconsin, which is a recently built center with beautiful features integrated with the natural surroundings. This is a perfect setting for women to integrate the healing power of Kundalini Yoga and Meditation and the richness of the teachings for women.

We encourage you to participate in all of our inspiring, engaging and fun activities. We also want you to feel free to take time to relax or just take a break, so please consider all our activities as optional.

What will I receive with my registration?- Your choice of comfortable luxurious, communal, or individual accommodations- Delicious vegetarian meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner, consciously cooked with locally sourced produce. Meals are primarily vegan and gluten-free.- Optional Early Arrival: Arrive Thursday afternoon ease in to the Retreat. Enjoy dinner and relaxing evening programming.- Nature Connection - Pinewood nature trails to explore between classes- Kundalini Yoga 101: Kundalini Yoga preview and information throughout the weekend for beginners.- Early Morning Aquarian Sadhana: Greet the sunrise on Saturday and Sunday mornings with meditation, yoga and live music by sacred music recording artists and yoginis, 'Preet' (optional)- Evening Sound and Mantra: Mantra meditation and chanting, with talented trio of musicians 'Preet', followed by a Sound Healing featuring multiple Gongs.- Breathwalk: combining specific patterns of breathing synchronized with your walking steps and enhanced with the art of directed, meditative attention.- Yoga by the Fireplace: Kundalini Yoga classes throughout the retreat led by Certified Kundalini Yoga Teachers designed to fit all women's levels.- Shabad Kaur Khalsa, Retreat Director and a long-time beloved student Yogi Bhajan, leads the women in classes and sharing circles to uplift and shine.- Dance Workshop/Playshop: Jamie Elizabeth Klausing, Nia Trainer, Somatic Movement Specialist, leads everyone in an uplifting and fun movement!- Ayurvedic Cooking Demonstration - Learn how to make Yogi Tea!- Women Centered Activities: Connecting games, crafts, opportunities for open and structured conversations.- Relax with breathtaking views of Friendship Lake, beautiful woods, sunrise and sunset.- Self-Care Resource Packet: Following the Retreat you will receive a digital compilation of the Yoga Sets, Mantras, Meditations and other useful Retreat tools to keep your self-care a priority throughout the year.The Midwest Women's Yoga Retreat offers a wonderful chance to rest, rejuvenate, and gain yogic tools to carry forward from the art and science of yoga. Meditations to help maintain a clear mind. Simple breath techniques that can be used in an instant to connect with our higher selves in moments of stress. Yoga kriyas to help stretch our bodies and maintain flexibility.